‘Syria counterattack kills 20 ISIL terrorists in Deir Ezzor’

Syrian army forces have reportedly killed at least 20 ISIL Takfiri militants during a counterattack operation near an airbase in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday that the terrorists, including 19 Syrians and one from Morocco, were killed after the ISIL terrorists “tried, starting late Saturday, to storm the airbase.”

The attack was the latest attempt by the Takfiri group to take control of the Deir Ezzor military airbase, which lies between the ISIL stronghold of Raqqa and the Iraqi border.

Syrian government troops have thwarted several offensives by ISIL Takfiri militants on the airbase. The extremist group controls some parts of Syria and Iraq.

Over the past months, Syrian soldiers have made numerous gains in the battle against the foreign-sponsored militants, inflicting heavy losses on them in several areas.

Syria has been grappling with a deadly crisis since March 2011. The United Nations says more than 200,000 people have so far lost their lives in the violence.

The government of President Assad has vowed to push ahead with its efforts to root out terrorism in the Arab country and establish national reconciliation.